The 4 x 4 Semantic Model: Exploiting Data, Functional, Non-functional and Execution Semantics Across Business Process, Workflow, Partner Services and Middleware Services Tiers

Business processes in the global environment increasingly encompass multiple partners and complex, rapidly changing requirements. In this context it is critical that strategic business objectives align with and map accurately to systems that support flexible and dynamic business processes. To support the demanding requirements of global business processes, we propose a comprehensive, unifying 4 X 4 Semantic Model that uses Semantic Templates to link four tiers of implementation with four types of semantics. The four tiers are the Business Process Tier, the Workflow Enactment Tier, the Partner Services Tier, and the Middleware Services Tier. The four types of semantics are Data Semantics, Function Semantics, Nonfunctional Semantics, and Execution Semantics. Our model encompasses services architectures that include enterprise class WSDL-based Web services as well as the lightweight but broadly used REST-based services.